Garrison Control

[gdpsnake]

I asked this question once before and all I got was "read the manual."
Well, I read the manual and I still don't have the answer.

The question: How do you control garrisons?

Yes, I know you can rally them before a battle but that only gives you extra divisonal units along with your army divisional units.

I want to know how to control the units (garrisons) in the forts whether I rally units or not before the battle.

The reason I ask is because the 'computer opponent' uses these units often quite effectively as they are treated as heavy artillery and they shoot me to pieces from a long distance. They are selected and they shoot regardless of whether they have ever been fired upon or attacked (the manual says they should only respond to an attack - see I did read the manual!)

So, the AI can use these units BUT I CAN NEVER SELECT OR USE MINE?! What gives?

Is there a way to control them because I'm tired of mine getting chewed to pieces while I can do nothing but the AI seems to manage just fine.

If there is no way, then I suggest we have a bug that gives a SIGNIFICANT advantage to the AI in using/shooting these units. If I can't use them, it shouldn't except, as the manual says, in response to an attack.

A second note on garrisons - they should be in a general all-round formation without flanks or rears. Right now, they can get attack in the flank or rear based on their facing and the fort position. This is silly because in reality an attacker would have to be IN the fort to attack from the rear or flank.

Can anyone give me a definitive answer? I would appreciate any help.

Gary

[Reg Pither]

When it is the turn of one of your units to move, move the mouse over one of the garrison units in a fort and press 'e'. They will then be active when their initiative turn comes around.

[gdpsnake]

Thanks, I shall give that a try.

[Hard Sarge]

What is this Rally before a battle ?????

HARD_Sarge

[gdpsnake]

Nope, you were wrong. Pressing "e" does nothing. Actually, pressing any key does nothing except to the unit currently selected.

So we still don't know how to activate a garrison.

As to rally,
Before the start of a detailed battle in a province where you have units inside a city, you are asked whether you wish to rally the garrison.
Selecting 'yes' will give you the units from the city in the battle but BE WARNED! If you lose and retreat, you no longer have any city defenders and you will LOSE the province to the enemy.

That's why I never say yes but I should still have control of the units (not movement as they are in a garrison - unless displaced) for fire purposes. After all, if the enemy gets close to the walls the defenders should fire - not just stand by and watch.

Any other thoughts?

[Reg Pither]

ORIGINAL: gdpsnake
As to rally,
Before the start of a detailed battle in a province where you have units inside a city, you are asked whether you wish to rally the garrison.
Selecting 'yes' will give you the units from the city in the battle but BE WARNED!

Hard Sarge - you have to switch this feature on in the Game Options screen in order to be asked this question, which is probably why you've not seen it. By default it is switched off.

As for controlling garrison troops, I can't believe I'm wrong! I'm always right... [;)]

[ian77]

Well pressing "e" works for me, you will have to wait a bit until low initiative garrison units get to move in the turn cycle, but it does work (as documented in the manual[:'(])

Hard Sarge - if you look in game options you will see an option to allow you to call upon your garrison troops to join the battle, of course if you loose, they retreat out of the province and nobody is left in the city...

Ian

Edit - too slow again!

[siRkid]

Hovering the mouse over the garrisons and pressing "e" works for me. You need to do it when one of you units is highlighted to move but before you move it.

[carnifex]

So we still don't know how to activate a garrison.

Yes, we do [:D] The unit doesn't wake right away - you have to wait till it's turn comes around.

Edit: if you're playing against the AI, you really shouldn't activate the garrisons. When the AI uses them, they rush headlong into battle and are massacred and routed. When a human uses them, it's usually to block routed units and force massive surrenders.

[ericbabe]

ORIGINAL: carnifex
Edit: if you're playing against the AI, you really shouldn't activate the garrisons. When the AI uses them, they rush headlong into battle and are massacred and routed. When a human uses them, it's usually to block routed units and force massive surrenders.

Yeah they do that and it annoys me to no end... there's a block of code in the AI routines that's supposed to keep the AI's garrisons snug in their fortresses and it was working but some tweak to the AI that I made late in beta testing seems to have the AI sometimes bypassing the better garrison code. Anyway...it's on my official bug list.

[Hard Sarge]

hey snake
another thing to remember, Garraison troops before the battle and during the battle are not the same

hm, been in the option page, never seen, or figured it was worth turning on, will check it again when I next go in

HARD_Sarg
e

[ian77]

ORIGINAL: carnifex


Edit: if you're playing against the AI, you really shouldn't activate the garrisons. When the AI uses them, they rush headlong into battle and are massacred and routed. When a human uses them, it's usually to block routed units and force massive surrenders.

You could always use them with restraint and self control .... I could go to the pub every night, I could play COG ev.......[8|] mmmmm .. maybe it would be best if I was just to shut up now.. [;)]

Ian

[carnifex]

restraint and self control ....

Yes, that's me, Mr. Restraint and Control. Yeah baby! A/S/L pls?

Oh, wait you said self control. Never mind...

[gdpsnake]

I hang my head in shame....It does work! I just wasn't waiting long enough to see the result. Seems you have to wait one full turn and then wait until the garrisons come up in the rotation.
Snake

[ian77]

ORIGINAL: carnifex

restraint and self control ....

Yes, that's me, Mr. Restraint and Control. Yeah baby! A/S/L pls?

Oh, wait you said self control. Never mind...

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